SummaryLabel-free optical nanoscopy, free from photobleaching and photochemical toxicity of fluorescence labels and yielding 3D morphological resolution of <50 nm, is the future of live cell imaging. 3D-nanoMorph breaks the diffraction barrier and shifts the paradigm in label-free nanoscopy, providing isotropic 3D resolution of <50 nm. To achieve this, 3D-nanoMorph performs non-linear inverse scattering for the first time in nanoscopy and decodes scattering between sub-cellular structures (organelles).
3D-nanoMorph innovatively devises complementary roles of light measurement system and computational nanoscopy algorithm. A novel illumination system and a novel light collection system together enable measurement of only the most relevant intensity component and create a fresh perspective about label-free measurements. A new computational nanoscopy approach employs non-linear inverse scattering. Harnessing non-linear inverse scattering for resolution enhancement in nanoscopy opens new possibilities in label-free 3D nanoscopy.
I will apply 3D-nanoMorph to study organelle degradation (autophagy) in live cancer cells over extended duration with high spatial and temporal resolution, presently limited by the lack of high-resolution label-free 3D morphological nanoscopy. Successful 3D mapping of nanoscale biological process of autophagy will open new avenues for cancer treatment and showcase 3D-nanoMorph for wider applications.
My cross-disciplinary expertise of 14 years spanning inverse problems, electromagnetism, optical microscopy, integrated optics and live cell nanoscopy paves path for successful implementation of 3D-nanoMorph.

Label-free optical nanoscopy, free from photobleaching and photochemical toxicity of fluorescence labels and yielding 3D morphological resolution of <50 nm, is the future of live cell imaging. 3D-nanoMorph breaks the diffraction barrier and shifts the paradigm in label-free nanoscopy, providing isotropic 3D resolution of <50 nm. To achieve this, 3D-nanoMorph performs non-linear inverse scattering for the first time in nanoscopy and decodes scattering between sub-cellular structures (organelles).
3D-nanoMorph innovatively devises complementary roles of light measurement system and computational nanoscopy algorithm. A novel illumination system and a novel light collection system together enable measurement of only the most relevant intensity component and create a fresh perspective about label-free measurements. A new computational nanoscopy approach employs non-linear inverse scattering. Harnessing non-linear inverse scattering for resolution enhancement in nanoscopy opens new possibilities in label-free 3D nanoscopy.
I will apply 3D-nanoMorph to study organelle degradation (autophagy) in live cancer cells over extended duration with high spatial and temporal resolution, presently limited by the lack of high-resolution label-free 3D morphological nanoscopy. Successful 3D mapping of nanoscale biological process of autophagy will open new avenues for cancer treatment and showcase 3D-nanoMorph for wider applications.
My cross-disciplinary expertise of 14 years spanning inverse problems, electromagnetism, optical microscopy, integrated optics and live cell nanoscopy paves path for successful implementation of 3D-nanoMorph.

Max ERC Funding

1 499 999 €

Duration

Start date: 2019-07-01, End date: 2024-06-30

Project acronym3D-PXM

Project3D Piezoresponse X-ray Microscopy

Researcher (PI)Hugh SIMONS

Host Institution (HI)DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsStarting Grant (StG), PE3, ERC-2018-STG

SummaryPolar materials, such as piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics are essential to our modern life, yet they are mostly developed by trial-and-error. Their properties overwhelmingly depend on the defects within them, the majority of which are hidden in the bulk. The road to better materials is via mapping these defects, but our best tool for it – piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) – is limited to surfaces. 3D-PXM aims to revolutionize our understanding by measuring the local structure-property correlations around individual defects buried deep in the bulk.
This is a completely new kind of microscopy enabling 3D maps of local strain and polarization (i.e. piezoresponse) with 10 nm resolution in mm-sized samples. It is novel, multi-scale and fast enough to capture defect dynamics in real time. Uniquely, it is a full-field method that uses a synthetic-aperture approach to improve both resolution and recover the image phase. This phase is then quantitatively correlated to local polarization and strain via a forward model. 3D-PXM combines advances in X-Ray optics, phase recovery and data analysis to create something transformative. In principle, it can achieve spatial resolution comparable to the best coherent X-Ray microscopy methods while being faster, used on larger samples, and without risk of radiation damage.
For the first time, this opens the door to solving how defects influence bulk properties under real-life conditions. 3D-PXM focuses on three types of defects prevalent in polar materials: grain boundaries, dislocations and polar nanoregions. Individually they address major gaps in the state-of-the-art, while together making great strides towards fully understanding defects. This understanding is expected to inform a new generation of multi-scale models that can account for a material’s full heterogeneity. These models are the first step towards abandoning our tradition of trial-and-error, and with this comes the potential for a new era of polar materials.

Polar materials, such as piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics are essential to our modern life, yet they are mostly developed by trial-and-error. Their properties overwhelmingly depend on the defects within them, the majority of which are hidden in the bulk. The road to better materials is via mapping these defects, but our best tool for it – piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) – is limited to surfaces. 3D-PXM aims to revolutionize our understanding by measuring the local structure-property correlations around individual defects buried deep in the bulk.
This is a completely new kind of microscopy enabling 3D maps of local strain and polarization (i.e. piezoresponse) with 10 nm resolution in mm-sized samples. It is novel, multi-scale and fast enough to capture defect dynamics in real time. Uniquely, it is a full-field method that uses a synthetic-aperture approach to improve both resolution and recover the image phase. This phase is then quantitatively correlated to local polarization and strain via a forward model. 3D-PXM combines advances in X-Ray optics, phase recovery and data analysis to create something transformative. In principle, it can achieve spatial resolution comparable to the best coherent X-Ray microscopy methods while being faster, used on larger samples, and without risk of radiation damage.
For the first time, this opens the door to solving how defects influence bulk properties under real-life conditions. 3D-PXM focuses on three types of defects prevalent in polar materials: grain boundaries, dislocations and polar nanoregions. Individually they address major gaps in the state-of-the-art, while together making great strides towards fully understanding defects. This understanding is expected to inform a new generation of multi-scale models that can account for a material’s full heterogeneity. These models are the first step towards abandoning our tradition of trial-and-error, and with this comes the potential for a new era of polar materials.

Max ERC Funding

1 496 941 €

Duration

Start date: 2019-01-01, End date: 2023-12-31

Project acronymAGENSI

ProjectA Genetic View into Past Sea Ice Variability in the Arctic

Researcher (PI)Stijn DE SCHEPPER

Host Institution (HI)NORCE NORWEGIAN RESEARCH CENTRE AS

Call DetailsConsolidator Grant (CoG), PE10, ERC-2018-COG

SummaryArctic sea ice decline is the exponent of the rapidly transforming Arctic climate. The ensuing local and global implications can be understood by studying past climate transitions, yet few methods are available to examine past Arctic sea ice cover, severely restricting our understanding of sea ice in the climate system. The decline in Arctic sea ice cover is a ‘canary in the coalmine’ for the state of our climate, and if greenhouse gas emissions remain unchecked, summer sea ice loss may pass a critical threshold that could drastically transform the Arctic. Because historical observations are limited, it is crucial to have reliable proxies for assessing natural sea ice variability, its stability and sensitivity to climate forcing on different time scales. Current proxies address aspects of sea ice variability, but are limited due to a selective fossil record, preservation effects, regional applicability, or being semi-quantitative. With such restraints on our knowledge about natural variations and drivers, major uncertainties about the future remain.
I propose to develop and apply a novel sea ice proxy that exploits genetic information stored in marine sediments, sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA). This innovation uses the genetic signature of phytoplankton communities from surface waters and sea ice as it gets stored in sediments. This wealth of information has not been explored before for reconstructing sea ice conditions. Preliminary results from my cross-disciplinary team indicate that our unconventional approach can provide a detailed, qualitative account of past sea ice ecosystems and quantitative estimates of sea ice parameters. I will address fundamental questions about past Arctic sea ice variability on different timescales, information essential to provide a framework upon which to assess the ecological and socio-economic consequences of a changing Arctic. This new proxy is not limited to sea ice research and can transform the field of paleoceanography.

Arctic sea ice decline is the exponent of the rapidly transforming Arctic climate. The ensuing local and global implications can be understood by studying past climate transitions, yet few methods are available to examine past Arctic sea ice cover, severely restricting our understanding of sea ice in the climate system. The decline in Arctic sea ice cover is a ‘canary in the coalmine’ for the state of our climate, and if greenhouse gas emissions remain unchecked, summer sea ice loss may pass a critical threshold that could drastically transform the Arctic. Because historical observations are limited, it is crucial to have reliable proxies for assessing natural sea ice variability, its stability and sensitivity to climate forcing on different time scales. Current proxies address aspects of sea ice variability, but are limited due to a selective fossil record, preservation effects, regional applicability, or being semi-quantitative. With such restraints on our knowledge about natural variations and drivers, major uncertainties about the future remain.
I propose to develop and apply a novel sea ice proxy that exploits genetic information stored in marine sediments, sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA). This innovation uses the genetic signature of phytoplankton communities from surface waters and sea ice as it gets stored in sediments. This wealth of information has not been explored before for reconstructing sea ice conditions. Preliminary results from my cross-disciplinary team indicate that our unconventional approach can provide a detailed, qualitative account of past sea ice ecosystems and quantitative estimates of sea ice parameters. I will address fundamental questions about past Arctic sea ice variability on different timescales, information essential to provide a framework upon which to assess the ecological and socio-economic consequences of a changing Arctic. This new proxy is not limited to sea ice research and can transform the field of paleoceanography.

Max ERC Funding

2 615 858 €

Duration

Start date: 2019-08-01, End date: 2024-07-31

Project acronymBioInspired_SolarH2

ProjectEngineering Bio-Inspired Systems for the Conversion of Solar Energy to Hydrogen

SummaryWith this proposal, I aim to achieve the efficient conversion of solar energy to hydrogen. The overall objective is to engineer bio-inspired systems able to convert solar energy into a separation of charges and to construct devices by coupling these systems to catalysts in order to drive sustainable and effective water oxidation and hydrogen production.
The global energy crisis requires an urgent solution, we must replace fossil fuels for a renewable energy source: Solar energy. However, the efficient and inexpensive conversion and storage of solar energy into fuel remains a fundamental challenge. Currently, solar-energy conversion devices suffer from energy losses mainly caused by disorder in the materials used. The solution to this problem is to learn from nature. In photosynthesis, the photosystem II reaction centre (PSII RC) is a pigment-protein complex able to overcome disorder and convert solar photons into a separation of charges with near 100% efficiency. Crucially, the generated charges have enough potential to drive water oxidation and hydrogen production.
Previously, I have investigated the charge separation process in the PSII RC by a collection of spectroscopic techniques, which allowed me to formulate the design principles of photosynthetic charge separation, where coherence plays a crucial role. Here I will put these knowledge into action to design efficient and robust chromophore-protein assemblies for the collection and conversion of solar energy, employ organic chemistry and synthetic biology tools to construct these well defined and fully controllable assemblies, and apply a complete set of spectroscopic methods to investigate these engineered systems.
Following the approach Understand, Engineer, Implement, I will create a new generation of bio-inspired devices based on abundant and biodegradable materials that will drive the transformation of solar energy and water into hydrogen, an energy-rich molecule that can be stored and transported.

With this proposal, I aim to achieve the efficient conversion of solar energy to hydrogen. The overall objective is to engineer bio-inspired systems able to convert solar energy into a separation of charges and to construct devices by coupling these systems to catalysts in order to drive sustainable and effective water oxidation and hydrogen production.
The global energy crisis requires an urgent solution, we must replace fossil fuels for a renewable energy source: Solar energy. However, the efficient and inexpensive conversion and storage of solar energy into fuel remains a fundamental challenge. Currently, solar-energy conversion devices suffer from energy losses mainly caused by disorder in the materials used. The solution to this problem is to learn from nature. In photosynthesis, the photosystem II reaction centre (PSII RC) is a pigment-protein complex able to overcome disorder and convert solar photons into a separation of charges with near 100% efficiency. Crucially, the generated charges have enough potential to drive water oxidation and hydrogen production.
Previously, I have investigated the charge separation process in the PSII RC by a collection of spectroscopic techniques, which allowed me to formulate the design principles of photosynthetic charge separation, where coherence plays a crucial role. Here I will put these knowledge into action to design efficient and robust chromophore-protein assemblies for the collection and conversion of solar energy, employ organic chemistry and synthetic biology tools to construct these well defined and fully controllable assemblies, and apply a complete set of spectroscopic methods to investigate these engineered systems.
Following the approach Understand, Engineer, Implement, I will create a new generation of bio-inspired devices based on abundant and biodegradable materials that will drive the transformation of solar energy and water into hydrogen, an energy-rich molecule that can be stored and transported.

Max ERC Funding

1 500 000 €

Duration

Start date: 2019-04-01, End date: 2024-03-31

Project acronymBRAINMINT

ProjectBrains and minds in transition: The dark side of neuroplasticity during sensitive life phases

Researcher (PI)Lars T. WESTLYE

Host Institution (HI)UNIVERSITETET I OSLO

Call DetailsStarting Grant (StG), SH4, ERC-2018-STG

SummaryThe potential and boundaries of the human mind is determined by dynamic interactions between the environment and the individual genetic architecture. However, despite several breakthroughs, the genetic revolution has not provided a coherent account of the development of the mind and its disorders, and the missing heritability is large across human traits. One explanation of this impasse is the complexity of the gene-environment interactions. Current knowledge about the determinants of a healthy mind is largely based on studies whose modus operandi is to treat the environment as a static entity, neglecting to consider the crucial fact that environmental inputs and their genetic interactions vary dramatically between life phases.
The objective of BRAINMINT is to provide this missing link by zeroing in on two major life transitions, namely adolescence and pregnancy. These phases are characterized by temporarily increased brain plasticity, offering windows for adaptation and growth, but also host the emergence of common mental disorders. I propose that a multi-level investigation with this dark side of brain plasticity as the axis mundi will add a mechanistic understanding of this link between growth and vulnerability. I will test the main hypothesis that mechanisms that boost neuroplasticity promote adaptation to a dynamic environment, but at the cost of increased risk of psychopathology if exposed to a combination of genetic and environmental triggers. To this end I will utilize cutting-edge longitudinal brain imaging, electrophysiology, rich cognitive and clinical data, immune markers, gene expression and genetics. I will leverage on massive imaging data (n>40,000) and novel tools to increase power and generalizability and improve brain- and gene-based predictions of complex traits. Aiming to help resolving one of the modern day enigmas, BRAINMINT is a pioneering and high risk/high gain effort to find mechanisms of brain plasticity that support and harm the brain.

The potential and boundaries of the human mind is determined by dynamic interactions between the environment and the individual genetic architecture. However, despite several breakthroughs, the genetic revolution has not provided a coherent account of the development of the mind and its disorders, and the missing heritability is large across human traits. One explanation of this impasse is the complexity of the gene-environment interactions. Current knowledge about the determinants of a healthy mind is largely based on studies whose modus operandi is to treat the environment as a static entity, neglecting to consider the crucial fact that environmental inputs and their genetic interactions vary dramatically between life phases.
The objective of BRAINMINT is to provide this missing link by zeroing in on two major life transitions, namely adolescence and pregnancy. These phases are characterized by temporarily increased brain plasticity, offering windows for adaptation and growth, but also host the emergence of common mental disorders. I propose that a multi-level investigation with this dark side of brain plasticity as the axis mundi will add a mechanistic understanding of this link between growth and vulnerability. I will test the main hypothesis that mechanisms that boost neuroplasticity promote adaptation to a dynamic environment, but at the cost of increased risk of psychopathology if exposed to a combination of genetic and environmental triggers. To this end I will utilize cutting-edge longitudinal brain imaging, electrophysiology, rich cognitive and clinical data, immune markers, gene expression and genetics. I will leverage on massive imaging data (n>40,000) and novel tools to increase power and generalizability and improve brain- and gene-based predictions of complex traits. Aiming to help resolving one of the modern day enigmas, BRAINMINT is a pioneering and high risk/high gain effort to find mechanisms of brain plasticity that support and harm the brain.

SummaryIn this project I propose to take advantage of the enormous potential created by the recent material science revolution based on two-dimensional (2D) layered materials, by bringing it to the arena of nanoscale heat transport, where heat transport occurs on ultrafast timescales. This opens up a new research field of controllable ultrafast heat transport in layered materials. In particular, I will take advantage of the myriad of possibilities for miniature material and device design, with unprecedented controllability and versatility, offered by Van der Waals (VdW) heterostructures – stacks of different layered materials assembled on top of each other – and 1D systems of layered materials.
Specifically, I will introduce novel device geometries based on VdW heterostructures for passively and actively controlling phonon modes and thermal transport. This will be measured mainly using time-domain thermoreflectance measurements. I will also develop novel time-resolved measurement techniques to follow heat spreading and coupling between different heat carriers: light, phonons, and electrons. These techniques will be mainly based on time-resolved infrared/Raman spectroscopy and photocurrent scanning microscopy. Moreover, I will study one-dimensional layered materials and assess their thermoelectric properties using electrical measurements. And finally, I will combine these results into hybrid devices with a photoactive layer, in order to demonstrate how phonon control allows for tuning of electrical and optoelectronic properties.
The results of this project will have an impact on the major research fields of phononics, electronics and photonics, revealing novel physical phenomena. Additionally, the results are likely to be useful towards applications such as thermal management, thermoelectrics, photovoltaics and photodetection.

In this project I propose to take advantage of the enormous potential created by the recent material science revolution based on two-dimensional (2D) layered materials, by bringing it to the arena of nanoscale heat transport, where heat transport occurs on ultrafast timescales. This opens up a new research field of controllable ultrafast heat transport in layered materials. In particular, I will take advantage of the myriad of possibilities for miniature material and device design, with unprecedented controllability and versatility, offered by Van der Waals (VdW) heterostructures – stacks of different layered materials assembled on top of each other – and 1D systems of layered materials.
Specifically, I will introduce novel device geometries based on VdW heterostructures for passively and actively controlling phonon modes and thermal transport. This will be measured mainly using time-domain thermoreflectance measurements. I will also develop novel time-resolved measurement techniques to follow heat spreading and coupling between different heat carriers: light, phonons, and electrons. These techniques will be mainly based on time-resolved infrared/Raman spectroscopy and photocurrent scanning microscopy. Moreover, I will study one-dimensional layered materials and assess their thermoelectric properties using electrical measurements. And finally, I will combine these results into hybrid devices with a photoactive layer, in order to demonstrate how phonon control allows for tuning of electrical and optoelectronic properties.
The results of this project will have an impact on the major research fields of phononics, electronics and photonics, revealing novel physical phenomena. Additionally, the results are likely to be useful towards applications such as thermal management, thermoelectrics, photovoltaics and photodetection.

Max ERC Funding

1 475 000 €

Duration

Start date: 2018-12-01, End date: 2023-11-30

Project acronymDEEPTIME

ProjectProbing the history of matter in deep time

Researcher (PI)Martin BIZZARRO

Host Institution (HI)KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsAdvanced Grant (AdG), PE10, ERC-2018-ADG

SummaryThe solar system represents the archetype for the formation of rocky planets and habitable worlds. A full understanding of its formation and earliest evolution is thus one of the most fundamental goals in natural sciences. The only tangible record of the formative stages of the solar system comes from ancient meteorites and their components some of which date back to the to the birth of our Sun. The main objective of this proposal is to investigate the timescales and processes leading to the formation of the solar system, including the delivery of volatile elements to the accretion regions of rocky planets, by combining absolute ages, isotopic and trace element compositions as well as atomic and structural analysis of meteorites and their components. We identify nucleosynthetic fingerprinting as a tool allowing us to probe the history of solids parental to our solar system across cosmic times, namely from their parent stars in the Galaxy through their modification and incorporation into disk objects, including asteroidal bodies and planets. Our data will be obtained using state-of-the-art instruments including mass-spectrometers (MC-ICPMS, TIMS, SIMS), atom probe and transmission electron microscopy. These data will allow us to: (1) provide formation timescales for presolar grains and their parent stars as well as understand how these grains may control the solar system’s nucleosynthetic variability, (2) track the formation timescales of disk reservoirs and the mass fluxes between and within these regions (3) better our understanding of the timing and flux of volatile elements to the inner protoplanetary disk as well as the timescales and mechanism of primordial crust formation in rocky planets. The novel questions outlined in this proposal, including high-risk high-gain ventures, can only now be tackled using pioneering methods and approaches developed by the PI’s group and collaborators. Thus, we are in a unique position to make step-change discoveries.

The solar system represents the archetype for the formation of rocky planets and habitable worlds. A full understanding of its formation and earliest evolution is thus one of the most fundamental goals in natural sciences. The only tangible record of the formative stages of the solar system comes from ancient meteorites and their components some of which date back to the to the birth of our Sun. The main objective of this proposal is to investigate the timescales and processes leading to the formation of the solar system, including the delivery of volatile elements to the accretion regions of rocky planets, by combining absolute ages, isotopic and trace element compositions as well as atomic and structural analysis of meteorites and their components. We identify nucleosynthetic fingerprinting as a tool allowing us to probe the history of solids parental to our solar system across cosmic times, namely from their parent stars in the Galaxy through their modification and incorporation into disk objects, including asteroidal bodies and planets. Our data will be obtained using state-of-the-art instruments including mass-spectrometers (MC-ICPMS, TIMS, SIMS), atom probe and transmission electron microscopy. These data will allow us to: (1) provide formation timescales for presolar grains and their parent stars as well as understand how these grains may control the solar system’s nucleosynthetic variability, (2) track the formation timescales of disk reservoirs and the mass fluxes between and within these regions (3) better our understanding of the timing and flux of volatile elements to the inner protoplanetary disk as well as the timescales and mechanism of primordial crust formation in rocky planets. The novel questions outlined in this proposal, including high-risk high-gain ventures, can only now be tackled using pioneering methods and approaches developed by the PI’s group and collaborators. Thus, we are in a unique position to make step-change discoveries.

SummaryGeometric frustration, namely the impossibility of satisfying competing interactions on a lattice, has recently
become a topic of considerable interest as it engenders emergent, fundamentally new phenomena and holds
the exciting promise of delivering a new class of nanoscale devices based on the motion of magnetic charges.
With ENFORCE, I propose to realize two and three dimensional artificial colloidal ices and investigate the
fascinating manybody physics of geometric frustration in these mesoscopic structures. I will use these soft
matter systems to engineer novel frustrated states through independent control of the single particle
positions, lattice topology and collective magnetic coupling. The three project work packages (WPs) will
present increasing levels of complexity, challenge and ambition:
(i) In WP1, I will demonstrate a way to restore the residual entropy in the square ice, a fundamental longstanding
problem in the field. Furthermore, I will miniaturize the square and the honeycomb geometries and investigate the dynamics of thermally excited topological defects and the formation of grain boundaries.
(ii) In WP2, I will decimate both lattices and realize mixed coordination geometries, where the similarity
between the colloidal and spin ice systems breaks down. I will then develop a novel annealing protocol based
on the simultaneous system visualization and magnetic actuation control.
(iii) In WP3, I will realize a three dimensional artificial colloidal ice, in which interacting ferromagnetic
inclusions will be located in the voids of an inverse opal, and arranged to form the FCC or the pyrochlore
lattices. External fields will be used to align, bias and stir these magnetic inclusions while monitoring in situ
their orientation and dynamics via laser scanning confocal microscopy.
ENFORCE will exploit the accessible time and length scales of the colloidal ice to shed new light on the
exciting and interdisciplinary field of geometric frustration.

Geometric frustration, namely the impossibility of satisfying competing interactions on a lattice, has recently
become a topic of considerable interest as it engenders emergent, fundamentally new phenomena and holds
the exciting promise of delivering a new class of nanoscale devices based on the motion of magnetic charges.
With ENFORCE, I propose to realize two and three dimensional artificial colloidal ices and investigate the
fascinating manybody physics of geometric frustration in these mesoscopic structures. I will use these soft
matter systems to engineer novel frustrated states through independent control of the single particle
positions, lattice topology and collective magnetic coupling. The three project work packages (WPs) will
present increasing levels of complexity, challenge and ambition:
(i) In WP1, I will demonstrate a way to restore the residual entropy in the square ice, a fundamental longstanding
problem in the field. Furthermore, I will miniaturize the square and the honeycomb geometries and investigate the dynamics of thermally excited topological defects and the formation of grain boundaries.
(ii) In WP2, I will decimate both lattices and realize mixed coordination geometries, where the similarity
between the colloidal and spin ice systems breaks down. I will then develop a novel annealing protocol based
on the simultaneous system visualization and magnetic actuation control.
(iii) In WP3, I will realize a three dimensional artificial colloidal ice, in which interacting ferromagnetic
inclusions will be located in the voids of an inverse opal, and arranged to form the FCC or the pyrochlore
lattices. External fields will be used to align, bias and stir these magnetic inclusions while monitoring in situ
their orientation and dynamics via laser scanning confocal microscopy.
ENFORCE will exploit the accessible time and length scales of the colloidal ice to shed new light on the
exciting and interdisciplinary field of geometric frustration.

Max ERC Funding

1 850 298 €

Duration

Start date: 2020-01-01, End date: 2024-12-31

Project acronymFANO

ProjectFano Photonics

Researcher (PI)Jesper MØRK

Host Institution (HI)DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsAdvanced Grant (AdG), PE7, ERC-2018-ADG

SummaryA new class of devices exploiting Fano resonances and with important applications in information technology is suggested. Typically, the resonance of a system is described by a frequency and a lifetime, leading to a Lorentzian lineshape function. If the system instead involves interference between a discrete resonance and a continuum, a Fano lineshape appears with fundamentally different characteristics. Here, the Fano resonance is used to make a novel integrated mirror, enabling realization of Fano lasers, Fano switches and quantum Fano devices. These devices challenge well-accepted paradigms for photonic devices. The goals of the project are to demonstrate a laser with modulation bandwidth greatly exceeding all existing lasers; a nanolaser with linewidth three orders of magnitude smaller than existing nanocavity lasers; and a switch that operates at femtojoule energies and provides gain. Such devices are important for realizing high-speed optical interconnects and networks between and within chips. An increasing fraction of the global energy consumption is being used for data communication, and photonics operating at very high data rates with ultra-low energy per bit has been identified as a key technology to enable a sustainable growth of capacity demands. Existing device designs, however, cannot just be scaled down to reach the goals for next-generation integrated devices. The Fano mirror will also be used to demonstrate control at the single-photon level, which will enable high-quality on-demand single-photon sources, which are much demanded devices in photonic quantum technology. These devices all rely on the unique properties of the Fano mirror, which provides a new resource for ultrafast dynamic control, noise suppression and ultra-low energy operation. Using photonic crystal technology the project will achieve its goals in a concerted effort involving development of new theory, new nanofabrication techniques and advanced experiments.

A new class of devices exploiting Fano resonances and with important applications in information technology is suggested. Typically, the resonance of a system is described by a frequency and a lifetime, leading to a Lorentzian lineshape function. If the system instead involves interference between a discrete resonance and a continuum, a Fano lineshape appears with fundamentally different characteristics. Here, the Fano resonance is used to make a novel integrated mirror, enabling realization of Fano lasers, Fano switches and quantum Fano devices. These devices challenge well-accepted paradigms for photonic devices. The goals of the project are to demonstrate a laser with modulation bandwidth greatly exceeding all existing lasers; a nanolaser with linewidth three orders of magnitude smaller than existing nanocavity lasers; and a switch that operates at femtojoule energies and provides gain. Such devices are important for realizing high-speed optical interconnects and networks between and within chips. An increasing fraction of the global energy consumption is being used for data communication, and photonics operating at very high data rates with ultra-low energy per bit has been identified as a key technology to enable a sustainable growth of capacity demands. Existing device designs, however, cannot just be scaled down to reach the goals for next-generation integrated devices. The Fano mirror will also be used to demonstrate control at the single-photon level, which will enable high-quality on-demand single-photon sources, which are much demanded devices in photonic quantum technology. These devices all rely on the unique properties of the Fano mirror, which provides a new resource for ultrafast dynamic control, noise suppression and ultra-low energy operation. Using photonic crystal technology the project will achieve its goals in a concerted effort involving development of new theory, new nanofabrication techniques and advanced experiments.

SummaryMolecular biology strives for the prediction of function, based on the genetic code. Within neuroscience, this is reflected in the intense study of the molecular basis for ligand recognition by neurotransmitter receptors. Consequently, structural and functional studies have rendered a profoundly high-resolution view of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), the archetypal excitatory receptor in the brain. But even this view is obsolete: we don’t know why some receptors recognize glutamate yet others recognize other ligands; and we have been unable to functionally test the underlying chemical interactions. In other words, our view differs substantially from nature’s own view of ligand recognition. I plan to lead a workgroup attacking this problem on three fronts. First, bioinformatic identification and electrophysiological characterization of a broad and representative sample of iGluRs from across the spectrum of life will unveil the diversity of ligand recognition in iGluRs. Second, phylogenetic analyses combined with functional experiments will reveal the molecular changes that nature employed in arriving at existing means of ligand recognition in iGluRs. Finally, chemical-scale mutagenesis will be employed to overcome previous technical limitations and dissect the precise chemical interactions that determine the specific recognition of certain ligands. With my experience in combining phylogenetics and functional experiments and in the use of chemical-scale mutagenesis, the objectives are within reach. Together, they form a unique approach that will expose nature’s own view of ligand recognition in iGluRs, revealing the molecular blueprint for protein function in the nervous system.

Molecular biology strives for the prediction of function, based on the genetic code. Within neuroscience, this is reflected in the intense study of the molecular basis for ligand recognition by neurotransmitter receptors. Consequently, structural and functional studies have rendered a profoundly high-resolution view of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), the archetypal excitatory receptor in the brain. But even this view is obsolete: we don’t know why some receptors recognize glutamate yet others recognize other ligands; and we have been unable to functionally test the underlying chemical interactions. In other words, our view differs substantially from nature’s own view of ligand recognition. I plan to lead a workgroup attacking this problem on three fronts. First, bioinformatic identification and electrophysiological characterization of a broad and representative sample of iGluRs from across the spectrum of life will unveil the diversity of ligand recognition in iGluRs. Second, phylogenetic analyses combined with functional experiments will reveal the molecular changes that nature employed in arriving at existing means of ligand recognition in iGluRs. Finally, chemical-scale mutagenesis will be employed to overcome previous technical limitations and dissect the precise chemical interactions that determine the specific recognition of certain ligands. With my experience in combining phylogenetics and functional experiments and in the use of chemical-scale mutagenesis, the objectives are within reach. Together, they form a unique approach that will expose nature’s own view of ligand recognition in iGluRs, revealing the molecular blueprint for protein function in the nervous system.